Ras Jedir crossing brings armed conflicts back to the Libyan scene

The Tunisian authorities closed the Ras Jedir border crossing with Libya yesterday, Monday, “for security reasons.” The Libyan authorities also took the same decision, following a Libyan armed group attack on the crossing from the Libyan side.

Video clips spread on social media showed scenes of armed clashes in which various types of weapons were used, and sounds of widespread gunfire were heard, leaving a number of travelers injured.

During the recent period, the crossing witnessed several problems on the part of the Libyan side, including that a number of Tunisian merchants were subjected to harassment and abuse by Libyan armed groups that imposed the payment of illegal royalties on the merchants.

The Ras Jedir crossing, as a vital artery for the border region between Tunisia and Libya, has returned to the forefront of events recently, following a dispute between the government of Abdul Hamid Dabaiba and the military council in Zuwara, the closest city to the crossing, over who has the right to control it.

According to Libyan media, the armed clashes came a day after the Ministry of Interior in the Dabaiba government decided to send its forces to the crossing, to prevent fuel smuggling, maintain security, and manage the movement of passengers between Libya and Tunisia, which the Zuwara Military Chamber considered an infringement and an attempt to expel it from the crossing.

In an attempt to extend the state’s influence, security forces affiliated with the Ministry of Interior went to control the crossing, maintain security, and manage the movement of travelers on both sides of the border, but they clashed with a military force from the city of Zuwara on the Libyan side.

Following the clashes, the authorities in both countries decided to close the crossing in order to preserve the safety of travelers, and citizens stranded at the crossing from the Libyan side were allowed to enter Tunisia until the security situation stabilized, while the situation in the western region of Libya threatens the return of clashes between various armed formations and a return to the square of violence and chaos.

Security failure and poor coordination

The municipality of Zuwara is a key partner in managing the crossing due to its geographical proximity. The head of the Council of Elders and Notables of the Municipality of Zuwara, Ghali Ismail Al-Tuwaini, confirmed in a statement to “Independent Arabia” that “the situation is now stable at the Ras Jedir crossing, after the clashes that occurred as a result of the lack of coordination between the security agencies in The Libyan state,” stressing “the importance of communicating with the Tunisian side in order to overcome the problems so that the crossing returns to its previous activity.”

Al-Tuwaini stressed the importance of “opening the crossing for Tunisians and Libyans, in addition to providing all safety and security conditions for travelers in compliance with the law.”

The local Libyan official believes that “what happened was a security breach that resulted in the injury of two citizens from the city of Zuwara,” promising to address the various problems “so that clashes are not renewed and the crossing is reopened, which is a sovereign port that must be under the authority of the Libyan state,” pointing to “the importance of coordination.” Among the various armed security formations in the region, in cooperation with the municipality of Zuwara, as it is the city closest to the crossing.”

Regarding the harassment to which Tunisian travelers are exposed, the head of the Council of Elders and Notables of the Municipality of Zuwara confirmed that “Libyan travelers, in turn, complained about ill-treatment in Tunisia,” calling for overcoming these problems by resorting to the law on both sides in Tunisia and Libya, consecrating the principle of mutual respect and providing reasons for Convenience for travelers from both countries.

A Libyan-Libyan internal matter

On the other hand, the head of the Tunisian-Libyan Negotiating Committee and the head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, Mustafa Abdelkabir, confirmed that “the confrontations at the Ras Jedir crossing on the Libyan border side are a Libyan-Libyan internal matter,” pointing out that “the crossing on the Libyan side is currently under the control of the Central Support Forces.” .

Abdel Kabir added, “The Tunisian side has not decided on any new measures other than a state of emergency, vigilance, and monitoring the situation, while remaining cautious and cautious, and dealing with the situation according to developments.”

The head of the Tunisian-Libyan negotiating committee said, “The clashes between the Libyan security formations lasted more than three hours, resulting in injuries, the closure of the crossing, and the exit of law enforcement forces affiliated with the Libyan Ministry of Interior outside the crossing, until an agreement is reached on the Libyan side about who will control it in the future.” .

A vital economic and social artery

There are two border crossings between Tunisia and Libya, which are the “Dhiba Wazen” crossing in the Tataouine Governorate (south), and the “Ras Jedir” crossing, which is located in the city of Ben Guerdane in the Medenine Governorate, about 30 kilometers from the city center and about 180 kilometers from the Libyan capital, Tripoli, while it is About 40 kilometers from the city of Zuwara.

The crossing is considered an economically vital area for the residents of the region, and the beginning of its exploitation dates back to 1970. The academic and specialist in development and resource management, Hassan Al-Rahili, confirms in a special statement that “the crossing is a lifeline between the states of Libya and Tunisia, and it accounts for 80 percent of the volume of trade exchanges between The two countries, and provides goods and goods to the residents of Tripoli and Zuwara and the residents of western Libya, who represent about 70 percent of the population of Libya, and it is an important demographic weight for commercial transactions through it.

The crossing is also an important economic and social artery and occupies about 50 percent of the residents of the Ben Guerdane area through inter-commercial activities.

Al-Rhaili believes that “the Al-Dhiba crossing does not have the same importance as Ras Jedir, through which 80 percent of the volume of people’s movement between the two countries passes. It also represents great importance for Libyans as it is an outlet for medical treatment and tourism in Tunisia, and an outlet for Libyans wishing to travel abroad through Tunisian airports.” .

The volume of trade exchanges between Tunisia and Libya witnessed an increasing rate, as it reached about 3.27 billion dinars (one billion dollars) in 2022, compared to 2.07 billion dinars (670 million dollars) in 2021, that is, an increase estimated at about 50 percent.

Tunisia and Libya officially announced the creation of a trade corridor towards sub-Saharan African countries, and agreed to rehabilitate the Ras Jedir border crossing between the two countries, in accordance with international standards, so that it becomes a trade gateway to Africa and a means to achieve economic integration and integration, especially with sub-Saharan countries, in addition to establishing a partnership. Effective with African countries.